Solid state light devices, for example, light emitting diodes (LEDs) can be used in a variety products for indoor and outdoor commercial and industrial applications. For example, LEDs can illuminate building structures using high bay and low bay fixtures as well as illuminate street lights, billboards, parking lots, and parking garages. LEDs are desirable over conventional light sources for many reasons including, for example, a modular ability, increased energy efficiency, and a long L70 lifetime. Modular ability allows LEDs to be designed in fixtures whereby the LEDs can be easily manipulated, configured, and/or moved relative to each other or other components. Increased energy efficiency can lead to significant energy savings associated with lighting devices, while the long lifetime can result in low maintenance of hard to reach light fixtures, including high bay and low bay fixtures.
Conventional high bay and low bay fixtures, for example, utilize high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps which produce light by causing an electric arc between tungsten electrodes housed inside a translucent or transparent arc tube. Typically, light fixtures utilizing HID lamps are designed for use in either high bay applications or low bay applications, but not both. Conventional low bay fixtures are used where a ceiling height is between 15 and 25 feet, and high bay fixtures are used with ceiling heights of 20 to 40 feet. Light emission patterns and paths required for high bay and low bay fixtures can differ significantly, so it can be important to choose the right fixture when using HID lamps. Light fixtures utilizing HID lamps comprise materials which can adversely affect the environment, such as mercury and heavy metals. Further, HID lamps can potentially shatter or otherwise violently fail as a result of misapplication, system failure, or a variety of other factors. These failures can release extremely hot glass and lamp parts creating a risk of fire, personal injury, or property damage.
Consequently, there remains a need for improved high luminous output light fixtures and methods that overcome or alleviate shortcomings of prior art fixtures.